Tie for vegetables



July 13 1926.

A. S. WILLIAMS TIE FOR VEGETABLES Filed March 19. 1925 nf i M"? B 0 EN.) v w n a .2 A i I a n n n w m i A H I V a 9 Fm/v all I v Patented July 13, 1926.

V U ED T STATES IPATE'NTFO TIE non VEGETABLES.

Application filed March 1'9, 1925. Serial 1%. 16,844.

V My invention relates to the bundling or packaging of certain vegetables, particularly green vegetables such as asparagus,

rhubarb,celery, or other vegetables having 6 stems or stalks and commonly shipped or vended in bunches; more particularly, it aims to provide an improved, metallic tie for bunches of such vegetables.

Heretofore it has been customary in preparing asparagus, rhubarb, or the like, for

shipment and sale to group the desirednumber of stalks or stems into a bundle'and to tie up the same by hand, using for the purpose a fabric tape, twine, raflia, or other fibrous tie. Any suchtie heretofore used necessarily involved considerable labor in positioning and tying it upon thebunch of vegetables, making comparatively slow and cumbersome; In accordance with my invention I provide a metallic tie having suflicient flexibility to permit it readily to be placed about the bunch but having also suflicient rigidity to allow it to be manipulated by one end, as when passing it under or around the stalks or stems to be tied up.'and alsohaving other advantages such as simplicity and inexpensiveness of manufacture, which will be ap parent from the following description and 39 claim. 7

In the drawings illustrating byway of example certainembodiments of my nven tion; 7

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a metallic tie for vegetables, said tie embodying one form of my invention; I

' Fig. 2 is a side view of the tie shown in Fig. 1; i i i Fig. 3 is aplan showinga modified form for one end of the tie; a

Fig. 4 is a perspective view'illustrating the manner of packaging a bunch of aspara- I however, may be readily inserted beneath gus, and showing a tie such as that. ofFi'gs. 1 and 2 in position thereon; i

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of tie also embodying my invention,

Referring .more particularly to Figs. 1 y and 2, the tie there shown comprises a narrow, elongatedmetallic strip or member 1 of tape-like form. Said member is desirably of uniform width from one end to a point adjacent the oppositeend, and while.

narrow, is of sufiicient width to prevent the 6 tie from cutting theenclosed vegetables. It

the bundling process is sufficiently flexible to permit it easily tion when held at one end. p

At or near one end of said member'l I )1 1,592,479 F E-I.

tables to be tied, in the manner illustrated; in Fig. 3, but is sufficiently rigid to sup- 7 port itself in substantially horizontal posithere is provided an eye-or eye-likeyformae tion 2 preferably having at least one straight side and desirably substantially D-shaped, with itsxstraight edge adjacent and parallel with the end edge of the member 1, to facilitate drawing the opposite some additional rigidity and thickness for holding; Said. end may be cut down to the required width, but desirably, and as il strip or member '1 at said end are turned lustrated, the opposite side. edges of the over toward each other and pressed down flatwise against the adjacent face of the strip, as indicated at 3, 4, 'thereby forming a tip or tongue 5 for the tie of substantially one-half the width ofthe main portion of the-latter. @If desired said'tongue 5 may be provided with a series of barbs or hooks 5" along one or both of its slde edges, as shown 111 Fig. '3.

In tying up asparagus, rhubarb, or the like, the des red, number of 1nd1vidual r stalks or stems, suchas illustrated at (5 in such as shown in saidfigure, indicated by :Figq3, are positioned in a suitable frame the numeral 7, and including spaced U- shaped holders 8, 8 across which the vegetables are placed. Where twine, raffia, or

"like fibrous material is employed for tying purposes considerable difiiculty is experienced in passing it beneath or about the stalks during the tying-up operation. A

flexible metallic tie suchas herein disclosed,

then inserted through the eye-like formation 2, drawn through it sufliciently to tighten the tie about the bunch, and secured either by bending it reversely substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3, or by engaging one of the barbs or hooks over one side edge of the eye, where'such means is provided.

Such tie Desirably but not necessarily means is provided whereby the tie is rendered adjustable longitudinally and herein for the purpose, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tie is crimped or corrugated at an intermediate portion of its length, as indicated at 9. Said means permits the tie to be expanded or contracted as may be required by the swelling or contraction of the bunch of green vegetables. Said means also serves to prevent the tie from slipping during the tying operation or when in position.

It will be observed that the tie shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of uniform width throughout the greater portion of its length, and may therefore be formed from a rectangular blank, avoiding any excess or waste material. Said tape-like metallic tie also is so constructed as to provide a flat surface which is exposed when the tie is in position and which is adapted to receive printed or other advertising or identifying matter, as indicated at 10, Figs. 1 and 3. Heretofore it has been difficult and expensive to advertise or identify bunches of vegetables with the producers or sellers name, or mark, but in accordance with my invention such matter may be more readily placed directly upon the tie itself in a permanent manner not possible or practicable with fibrous ties as heretofore known.

The tie above described is formed of, or covered or coated with, a non-corrosive material and one which is not subject to harmful chemical or other reaction when the vegetables are being cooked or prepared for the table. In practice aluminum or an aluminum alloy may be employed or sheet iron coated with tin or other suitable material serving the purposes above mentioned. In this manner I provide a tie which may safely be left in position upon the bundle during boiling or other cooking without danger of poisoning or otherwise rendering the vegetables unhealthful for consumption.

In Fig. i I have shown a somewhat modified form of tie also embodying my invention, said tie comprising a wire-like member or wire 11 of suitable length and which may be of the material above mentioned in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 or coated so as to be non-corrosive. Preferably said member 11 is protected by wrapping it spirally as shown in Fig. 4 with paper or other suitable fibrous material, as indicated at 12. At one end said member is formed into an eye or loop 13, the end of the wire being bent down flatwise in such manner as to hold the tapelike covering 12 against unwrapping. At

its opposite end said member is preferably bent back flatwise against itself, as indicated at 1 1, thus preventing unwrapping of the covering at that end and providing a reinforced tip. The eye 13 and the end 14 are proportioned to permit said end to be passed easily through the eye for securing purposes in the manner above described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

If desired the metallic tape-like tie of Figs. 1 to 3 may be wrapped spirally for protective purposes in the manner shown and described in connection with Fig. l. Also the wire-like tie of Fig. at may be crimped or corrugated intermediate its ends in a manner similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be understood that the method of packaging or bundling a bunch of aspara' gus, rhubarb or other vegetables and of identifying or advertising the same, in accordance with my invention, comprises sembling or grouping in any suitable manner the desired number of stalks, stems or the like to form a bunch, passing a flexible metallic tie beneath or about the same, drawing it tight and securing together its opposite ends preferably by insertion of one end through a suitable formation in the other and bending it reversely, and placing the desired identifying or advertising matter on a suitable, desirably fiat, surface of the tie preferably during its formation and before tying thereof.

hly invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof or to the specific method of practicing the same herein shown and described.

Claim:

A. metallic tie for bundling asparagus, rhubarb or other stemmed table vegetables, comprising a tape-like strip of metal of sufficient flexibility to permit its being wrapped about the stems to be tied but sufficiently rigid to permit ready manipulation thereof by one of its ends, said strip having a width sufficient to prevent cutting of the vegetable stems and substantially uniform from one end to a point adjacent the opposite end, thereby avoiding excess or waste material in forming the tie, said strip having a tip-like portion at said opposite end, the other end of said strip being formed with an eye having a straight side adjacent the end of the strip and adapted to receive said tip-like portion, the said strip being crimped or corrugated at a portion intermediate its ends thereby rendering it longitudinally adjustable and preventing slippage, said strip having a non-corrosive outer surface or cover, preventing harmful chemical or other reaction during cooking, whereby the tie may safely be left in position during preparation of the vegetables for consumption.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR S. \VILLIAMS. 

